Office of Head Start (OHS) Video Pilot Informational Webinar
Questions and Answers
October 17, 2022
In Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), the Office of Head Start (OHS) will pilot the use of Grant Recipient video recordings to conduct Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) reviews. The purpose of this pilot is to determine the viability of capturing video observations as part of monitoring for CLASS® reviews. FY23 CLASS® scores obtained during the pilot will not be used by the OHS for Designated Renewal System (DRS) determinations; however, scores will be used to help the OHS understand the current experiences of children in Head Start classrooms as a quality improvement opportunity and to offer training and technical assistance supports that build on existing program efforts to enhance professional development and teacher-child interactions.
We are excited to share that as part of the OHS Video Pilot, programs will be able to upload multiple videos and then select the one for monitoring purposes. This flexibility allows programs to create more than one video of an educator, determine when videos occur, and select which video receives CLASS scores. Throughout the process, support will be provided to participating grant recipients and they will have the opportunity to share their feedback. The video pilot offers programs the ability to choose which observations they want to showcase for monitoring!
Thank you all for registering for and/or attending the OHS Video Pilot Information Webinar. As a partner in the pilot, we wanted to thank you all for your very thoughtful questions regarding this new video pilot monitoring process. Please see below for answers and guidance regarding questions posed during the webinar.
Jump to a section:
- OHS Monitoring
- Classroom Sample
- Communications and Scheduling
- Video Protocol & Privacy
- Conducting Video Observations
- Technology Requirements
- Classroom Interactions
- CLASS Coding
- Staff
OHS Monitoring
Q: Will this video pilot be used for DRS?
A: The goals of this pilot are to focus on determining the feasibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of using video observations to inform monitoring. Since this is a pilot, scores obtained will not be used for DRS.
Q: Is it true that if we have the OHS CLASS Video Pilot we will NOT have FA2 during the same school year?
A: Some grant recipients may be participating in both CLASS observations and FA2 visits during the 2022-23 program year. Programs with FA2 visits will not have both the video pilot and FA2 activities overlapping.
Q: I am wondering why my program was selected to participate in this pilot, when this is already a Focus Area 2 monitoring year for us?
A: As has been past practice, it is common for programs to have multiple review types during the same monitoring season.
Q: Can a program request to be reviewed at a different time?
A: We will not be making changes to the schedule.
Q: Is this a voluntary program or will random grantees be selected?
A: Grant recipients participating in the video pilot have been selected by the Office of Head Start. Participation is not optional; however, the video pilot will not count towards DRS.
Q: What is the duration of time for the monitoring process?
A: Grant recipients will receive notification of their group assignment 30 days prior to the start date for observations. The observation window within which videos need to be uploaded and submitted is 45 days.
Classroom Sample
Q: How many grant recipients will be in the pilot?
A: There are 262 grant recipients participating in the OHS Video Pilot.
Q: Who will be choosing which classrooms/ sites to conduct the pilot? How is this determined per site?
A: The OHS has implemented a random-sampling procedure to ensure an adequate representative sample of classrooms is observed and forms the basis of the CLASS® score. The sample size, or number of classrooms, to be observed is a statistically driven calculation based on the recipient’s total number of eligible classrooms; it is not a percentage. It is generated by DLH’s IT-AMS software system.
Q: When will grant recipients be notified if they are part of the general pilot or if they are participating in the pilot in which TS is conducting live observation along with video?
A: Grant recipients participating in the OHS Video Pilot received notification on September 30, 2022 through an IM distributed in HSES. The notification for which group grant recipients are assigned to will be shared 30 days prior to their observation window start date. Grant recipients selected to participate in the live and video observation project are in Group 1 and will be notified during planning calls.
Q: How many classrooms are being selected to participate?
A: The total number of classrooms is 6,104 across the 262 grant recipients participating in the OHS Video Pilot.
Q: Number of classrooms would help determine the number of recorders that need to be identified. When will this information be shared?
A: Grant recipients will receive information on their classroom sample during the initial planning calls.
Q: Will all classrooms submit a video for monitoring or will a percentage of total classrooms be chosen to submit a video?
A: All classrooms that are selected within your program's sample will need to have a video submitted. The monitoring team uses a statistically based algorithm to carefully select a sample of your classrooms. A program cannot choose which classroom will be observed.
Communications and Scheduling
Q: Who specifically will be receiving notifications regarding participation, selection, and next steps?
A: Program directors will receive notification regarding participation, selection, and next steps. Please ensure your program’s information in HSES is up to date. HSES is used as the source for program contact information and the classroom selection process.
Q:Will there be any guidance on rolling this out to teaching staff?
A: Yes, Teachstone will provide guidance related to sharing information on the video pilot with your teachers.
Q: Will this be scheduled outside of our onsite review schedule?
A: Yes. Careful planning is in place to ensure there is no overlap between your onsite review and the video pilot.
Q: Will the materials be available in other languages?
A: At this time, the support materials are only available in English. However, we will provide information for families in English and Spanish.
Q: Do you have any bi-lingual staff that will be assisting with the planning process?
A: Yes. Both Teachstone and DLH have team members who are bilingual. Grant recipients should indicate they would like the support of a bilingual team member when scheduling their planning calls.
Q: How soon will programs be notified of which cohort they will be a part of?
A: Notification for Group 1 was sent out on October 17, 2022. The remaining groups will receive notification 30 days prior to their observation window.
Planning Calls
Q: How will Planning Calls be conducted?
A: The video pilot team, DLH and Teachstone, will be conducting planning calls with each grant recipient. Invitations to schedule one-on-one planning calls will be sent out the same week as the notification for each group.
Q: How can sites update classroom information?
A: Grant recipients should log into HSES and follow instructions for updating their program information including non-operational classrooms, shifts in staffing, and contact information. Grant recipients can also call the HSES helpdesk for guidance if needed.
Video Protocol & Privacy
Q: Who will be conducting the CLASS observations?
A:Teachstone CLASS Observers will be conducting all live observations as well as coding all videos submitted for the pilot.
Q:How many CLASS reviews will take place?
A: OHS selected 262 grant recipients to participate in the OHS Video Pilot. It is anticipated that approximately 6,104 videos will be submitted.
Q: What determines whether a site will have live observations and video or just video?
A: Teachstone will be selecting programs from Group 1 and partnering with them during the planning process. Grant recipients were selected to represent Head Start regions, be geographically diverse, and also range in size.
Q: If selected for both live observation and video capture how will sites be notified?
A: Grant recipients in Group 1 will be notified of their selection for the live and video observations during their upcoming planning calls.
Q: What kind of authorizations will be required from families and staff? Some state laws prohibit voice recording without notice and permission.
A: Teachstone is developing a summary of the OHS Video Pilot to facilitate sharing information with parents. We encourage all programs to send notification of the video observations to ensure they are aware that children will be videotaped.
Q: Do you have a templated consent form that parents can sign?
A:The consent form families signed during enrollment should cover the use of photo/videos for quality improvement. However, if a parent does not want their child videotaped, we recommend moving that child to a different classroom during observations. When it is not possible to move the child to another classroom the video recorder should reach out to Teachstone for additional support.
Q:Will these videos gathered by OHS be used by Teachstone to join their videos for observers to code for certification?
A: No, the videos will only be used for the OHS Video Pilot. Videos not submitted for monitoring observations cannot be viewed by Teachstone and will be removed from the Teachstone platform once a video has been submitted and passes quality assurance. Videos submitted for CLASS scores will be reviewed by the Teachstone team to ensure they meet quality standards and then assigned CLASS scores. All videos will be deleted to ensure privacy after CLASS scores have been assigned.
Conducting Video Observations
Q: What is the rationale behind capturing 2 videos at 60 min vs traditional CLASS observation guidelines?
A:The OHS monitoring protocol provides CLASS observation guidelines. Based upon the protocol and its methodology, a CLASS observation must contain at least 2 cycles. The OHS monitoring protocol was developed in collaboration with the developers of the CLASS, as well as experts in the early childhood field. We are making slight modifications to the protocol to accommodate video observations; however, we are adhering to the core guidelines and methodology.
Q:Due to sickness (including COVID), what happens if the lead teacher or assistant teacher aren't present or the number of children doesn't meet minimum requirements?
A: Grant recipients have a 45 day window for video observations. If an observation can not be conducted on the planned date and time, video recorders should work with lead teachers to reschedule the observation for a time within the observation window.
Q: What specific devices are approved for video capture?
A:Grant recipients are required to use devices that run on either the iOS 13 or Android 6 or higher operating systems. Devices must support the ability to download a recording app. In addition, programs will need something to support the recording device such as a stand or tripod. Videos must be recorded on the same device that will be used to upload the video.
Q: Will the video recording be of the lead teacher only or will it capture all adults in the classrooms?
A: The recording device should be positioned to capture as much of the classroom view as possible. All adults, who are normally in the classroom, can be present for the observation and included in the classroom view.
Q: What about those times where the classroom daily schedule interrupts the continuous observable time with unobservable time. For example, 20 minute observation and then 10 minutes after that the classroom goes to unstructured recess/outdoor play.
A: Teachstone will support video recorders in identifying optimal times to video observations in classrooms based upon schedules. However, if an observation is interrupted, it is recommended that the video recorder reschedule the observation for another day. If rescheduling is not possible, video recorders should continue recording until 60 minutes of instruction time is captured. This may lead to a video that is longer than 60 minutes (i.e., 20 minutes of instructional time for cycle 1, 10 minute pause for coding, 20 minutes of empty classroom due to recess, and then 20 minutes of instructional time for cycle 2). Once a recording has started it cannot be paused.
Q: Can the video equipment be moved in order to continuously capture interactions as children and educators move around the classroom?
A: It is recommended that cameras remain in one location throughout the observation time.
Technology Requirements
Q:Will programs be provided necessary video and audio equipment for this process? Or will programs need to purchase their own equipment?
A: Programs are responsible for providing the recording device and a stand/tripod needed to conduct the video pilot. A bluetooth microphone will be provided to all programs for use during their observation window. Teachstone will be shipping out 1 bluetooth microphone for every 5 classrooms in your sample. The microphone can be paired with the recording device once the recording app has been installed. The teacher who is interacting with the largest group of children should wear the microphone. In some classrooms this may be the lead teacher; however, it may also be the assistant teacher and will vary depending on the lesson and planned activities. All microphones will need to be returned using the prepaid return shipping labels provided to each grant recipient.
Q: What are the memory requirements for video capture on devices?
A: Approximately 53MB of memory is needed to download the recording app onto your device. In addition, a file of approximately 600MB - 1GB will be created for a one hour lesson. Each 1 hour video will take approximately 30 minutes to upload. If recording devices do not have sufficient memory capacity, grant recipients should visit Apple and/or Android support pages on how to free up space on their device. Alternatively, programs will need to identify a device that does have sufficient memory.
Q: What happens if one of the classrooms selected is in an area that has inconsistent wifi connection?
A: Recordings can be made without an internet connection, provided the user account has already logged in and authenticated on the device first. Once the recording is stopped, tap on “Save and Upload”. The video will be encrypted and stored on the device until you are reconnected to the internet. As soon as each video is uploaded, it is removed from the recording device’s storage.
Q: If we already have a Teachstone account, will this be a separate account or the same one?
A: You will need to activate a separate account through the link provided in the account activation email.
Q: Who participates in the Technology Training webinar?
A:Technology Trainings will be provided for each group of grant recipients. The training scheduled for November 9, 2022 will be for Group 1 grant recipients and their video recorders. The dates for other technology training will be shared with each group and occur approximately 2 weeks prior to starting observations.
Classroom Interactions
Q: How long should a teacher be in their role and in the specified classroom to be eligible for the observation?
A:The lead teacher needs to have been in the classroom for more than 10 consecutive program days prior to the observation.
Q: Will substitute teachers be observed if they meet the eligibility criteria for observation?
A: A substitute teacher can be observed if they have been in the classroom for more than 10 consecutive program days.
Q: Which educators will be assessed on interactions?
A:All adults in the classroom during the time of the observation will contribute to the CLASS scores.
CLASS Coding
Q: Will there be double coding to ensure accurate CLASS scoring?
A: Yes. Teachstone will double code at least 10 percent of the videos submitted during the video pilot to assess for reliability of scores.
Q: Will there be bilingual observers for those classrooms using dual language models? A: Yes. Grant recipients will be asked to identify the languages spoken in the video submitted. This information will be used to identify Teachstone CLASS observers who are familiar with the language.
Beyond the Pilot
Q: If this is a reliable way to do reviews, is Teachstone planning to train observers to use this methodology in future?
A: The goal of the OHS Video Pilot is to determine the feasibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of video observations to inform the monitoring process. OHS will be using the results from the pilot to guide future monitoring protocols. Teachstone is already conducting video observations, on a smaller scale, to support CLASS observations.
Q: What is the Board of Directors and Policy Council Role in the CLASS Pilot Review? A:Grant recipients are encouraged to share information about the OHS Video Pilot and their participation with their Board of Directors and Policy Councils.
Q: Is this pilot a one time or will it be done yearly?
A:The goal of the OHS Video Pilot is to determine the feasibility, efficiency, and effectiveness of video observations to inform the monitoring process. OHS will be using the results from the pilot to guide future monitoring protocols. Teachstone is already conducting video observations, on a smaller scale, to support CLASS observations.
Staff
Q: What is the anticipated time commitment for grantee staff?
A: Video recorders should plan to attend a 90 minute technology training which will outline their role in the video pilot. It is anticipated that it will take up to 10 minutes to place the technology in a classroom for recording and then another 10 minutes to stop the recording and remove the devices. The amount of time for uploading and selecting videos will vary.
Q: Will programs be financially compensated for video recorder’s time?
A: Grant recipients will not receive additional funding to participate in the OHS Video Pilot.
If you have additional questions please connect with us at OHSVideoPilot@Teachstone.com or click here